


but i've been trying hard not to act a fool

by waywardprentiss



Series: strawberry lipstick state of mind [1]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: American Sign Language, Bisexuality, Canon Disabled Character, Episode: s01e20 Mandatory Minimums, F/M, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Past Josh Lyman/Sam Seaborn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26718481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywardprentiss/pseuds/waywardprentiss
Summary: "I wore this suit special today." He whispers, grinning.Josh mentally kicks himself for feeling the need to whisper when she can't even hear him but it feels so good to have finally said it.It felt like something he had to say softly. Like if he said it too loud, the words would break and the moment would be ruined.
Relationships: Joey Lucas/Josh Lyman, Josh Lyman & Sam Seaborn
Series: strawberry lipstick state of mind [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1988872
Comments: 7
Kudos: 20





	but i've been trying hard not to act a fool

**Author's Note:**

> i just think they were really fucking cute together and that they should've dated so

The moment Josh turns the corner and sees the light on in Joey's office, he stops in his tracks.

He stares at her looking over the papers in her hand for a minute. His eyes flick to Kenny in the corner before looking back toward his office.

Josh catches Sam's eye as the other man crosses through the doorway. "I'll be right behind you. I'm gonna pick up the late wires."

Sam nods before flicking his eyes toward Joey's temporary office. He smirks and Josh shoves him a bit down the hall. "Get out of here."

Sam laughs, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Good luck." Is all Sam says before making his way down the hall to catch up with Toby.

Josh turns his gaze back to catch Kenny going over to Joey to show her something on the form in his hands.

Josh looks around quickly and spots the box of souvenirs underneath an intern's desk in the corner. He squats down and digs out a coffee mug before pushing the box back underneath the desk.

He pokes his head around to see if they're still preoccupied with the forms before making his way down the hall toward her open door with the mug hidden behind his back.

"Hello." He says as Kenny gets Joey's attention before coming around to stand between them.

Joey smiles before speaking aloud. "Hi."

He turns to Kenny. "Hey, Kenny."

"Hey, Josh."

He nods up at the light. "Saw the light was on. You guys are here late."

She glances at Kenny as he starts translating to her what Josh is saying. 

Joey nods as she drops the papers she was holding on the desk.

Kenny translates as she starts to sign. "I wanted to give you a first look analysis in the morning. There's really some decent models in Marin County and the Bay Area but San Jose is a mess and so is Orange County, Long Beach, Anaheim and San Diego."

Josh pulls the mug from behind his back before she can say anything else.

"I brought you a coffee mug." He says with a satisfied smile.

She looks from Kenny then to Josh then to the mug in his hands with a blank face.

"Why?"

Josh looks down at the mug in his hands, suddenly feeling awkward so he stumbles over his next words. "Just as a thing- 'cause you don't know anybody."

He shuffles a couple steps closer, pointing to the design on the mug. "It's got a picture of the White House."

She leans forward to look and he adds, "It says "The White House"."

He feels her confused gaze on him but he keeps his eyes on the mug as he continues. "Seal of the President."

"It's a White House coffee mug." He hands the mug out to her as he finally drags his eyes up to meet her gaze.

She smiles at him with a confused look in her eye as she takes the mug from him with her left hand.

"Thank you." She says aloud while signing with her right, touching her fingers to her chin and bringing them foward and down.

She holds it up with a grin and Josh quickly turns his head toward Kenny. "Kenny, can you give us a second?"

"Oh, sure."

The suprise in Kenny's voice makes heat rise on the back of Josh's neck and he averts his gaze to the floor as Kenny catches Joey's eye and signs. "I'm gonna step outside."

He looks back up at Joey as Kenny leaves the room out the side doorway and Josh is struck speechless by how beautiful she looks in the low lighting.

She smiles awkwardly at him before he takes a step closer to her.

"I wore this suit special today." He whispers, grinning.

Josh mentally kicks himself for feeling the need to whisper when she can't even hear him but it feels so good to have finally said it.

It felt like something he had to say softly. Like if he said it too loud, the words would break and the moment would be ruined.

Joey just looks at him, as if waiting for him to elaborate.

"This isn't my regular Tuesday suit."

She flicks her gaze from his mouth down to his chest to look at his clothes.

Josh feels his heart skip a beat even as she frowns up at him. "You have a regular Tuesday suit?"

He huffs out a laugh. "No."

Joey looks at him for a minute before her eyes sparkle with realization. Her eyes dart around his face. "For me?"

"Yes." He whispers with a smile and nods his head as well for good measure.

He feels something in his chest swell as he says it and Josh just knows that he has the sappiest look on his face.

It's confirmed when Joey gives him a soft smile of her own. She tilts her head to the side a little as she continues smiling up at him and Josh is opening his mouth before he can even think.

"I like you. A lot." He rambles but makes sure that he's talking clearly enough so she can understand. "But I'm never sure what to do when I like someone."

She gives him an intrigued look so he continues. "I think I missed something growing up. While everyone was out having first dates, I was studying. Believe it or not, I wasn't always this smart."

Joey laughs and he feels his own face split in a grin. "It's like I skipped a year or something. I never really learned what to do after you think you like someone."

She turns around to place the mug on the desk behind her before reaching out and running one hand through the lapel of his suit and signing with the other. "Wearing a nice suit isn't a bad place to start."

He huffs out a laugh and shuffles close enough to her to place a hand on her waist. His chest tingles where her fingers touch him.

She quirks an eye up at him. "Is that why you were acting so weird today?"

"Yeah."

Josh hesitates a minute before bringing his other hand up between them to sign. He points to his chest before bringing his hand out with his thumb and middle finger conected and then pointing to Joey. "I like you."

Her wide smile gives him the confidence to wrap both of his arms around her. "Would you wanna go out with me?"

Joey smirks and signs as she speaks. "You aren't worried about dating someone you work so closely with?"

"No." He shakes his head instantly and she looks at him doubtfuly.

He pauses a minute before adding. "Well, for example, Sam and I work great together."

She pauses, as if she's unsure she understood right. "You used to date Sam?"

Josh nods. He tries to keep his face neutral because she hasn't actually said anything negative yet.

Joey opens her mouth to speak and starts signing as well. She points to him and then finger spells the letters b and i. "You're bi?"

"Yeah." He nervously clears his throat. "Is that gonna be a problem?"

She hasn't backed out of his arms so Josh thinks he knows the answer but you never know.

"Of course not." She smiles. "That would be hypocritical of me."

That, he was not expecting. Josh can feel his mouth open in suprise and she laughs.

"Yeah?" He asks with a grin.

"Yes." She replies with a big smile, nodding her head.

He tightens his arms around her waist and smirks. "Awesome."

Joey shakes her head at him before leaning forward and kissing his lips. 

She pulls back after only a second so it's just a peck but he follows her and they kiss for a second time.

He deepens this kiss and he feels her gasp into his mouth before she brings a hand up to run her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

Josh moans slightly and moves a hand up the length of her back to rest between her shoulders.

He draws out the kiss as long as he can before he pulls back slightly. He looks down just in time to see her eyes flutter open.

They're so close that he can feel her breath against his lips. "I would love to do this all night but I gotta go do this thing."

Joey laughs against him, her gaze flicking up from his mouth to meet his eyes. She brings a hand up to wipe at the side of his mouth. "Okay."

"Okay?" He smiles with a quirk of an eyebrow.

She motions to the side of her own mouth. "Yes. Just a bit of lipstick."

They share another laugh as Josh wipes at his own mouth in the same spot she did. "Good?"

She nods her head with a smirk and signs, "Yes."

Josh keeps his hands on her waist as he backs away and she shuffles foward with him, placing her hands on his forearms.

"Uh." He laughs. "I can text you later?"

Joey grins. "Yes." 

He pulls away with one last squeeze to her waist and she steps back to settle against the desk.

She turns around to pick up the mug again and clutches it to her chest with a grin.

Josh grins back and reaches up to scratch the back of his head. He can still feel her fingers there.

He raises his hand in a small wave. "Alright, bye."

She waves back at him and he's so caught up in her red lipstick smile that he backs straight into the doorframe, missing the side doorway by at least a foot.

Her laugh rings loud in the room and Josh feels his ears burn. He closes his eyes. "Okay."

After a moment, he opens them to see her with a hand over her mouth and laugh lines around her eyes.

Any embarrassment he feels fades at how stunning she looks when's she's laughing.

"So, I'm just gonna-" He points behind him and grips the doorframe to make sure he doesn't hit it agian. "Bye."

Joey waves at him again. "Bye!"

Thankfully, he doesn't see Kenny anywhere as he makes his way out of the room but the sound of Joey's laugh echoes down the hall.

Josh couldn't keep the grin off his face even if he tried.

-

Josh strides through the President's open bedroom door with a grin. "Good evening, Mr. President."

He hears President Bartlet's voice as he comes up to stand between Sam and CJ. "Josh walking in the door wasn't even close."

Slightly confused at the jab, he smiles. "How you doing tonight?"

"I'm fine, thanks, Josh." President Bartlet says sarcastically. "How are you?"

"Good." He grins like a dork. "I gave Joey Lucas a coffee mug."

At both Leo and Toby's confused looks, he rambles on. "She doesn't know anybody here and she's already working hard. She's very committed. I think I did the right thing."

Awkward silence follows and he blurts out, "I also asked her out on a date. And maybe made out with her a bit."

He winces as he realizes what he's just said and who he's said it in front of and the fact that they're all in the President's bedroom in the middle of the night. 

Josh hears Sam and CJ stiffle laughs next to him and President Bartlet throws them both an annoyed look.

"Well, as happy for you as I am, Josh, can we please get back to this so you all can leave me alone so I can go back to sleep?"

"Of course." Josh clears his throat. "I'm sorry, sir."

Bartlet sighs and shares a look with Leo, who's sitting in a chair next to the bed.

The look of exasperated fondnees that the two men share makes Josh grin again.

He feels Sam clap him on the back and he turns to meet his friend's eye.

Sam smiles and winks at him before dropping his hand and stepping forward to address the President.

"Mr. President, after a day of meetings, are you any closer to a decision on drugs?"

Josh pushes thoughts of Joey's red lipstick and how her hair glowed under the low light of her office lamp to the back of his mind as he listens to Sam talk with the President.

But no matter what he does, Josh can't quite stop smiling for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> title is from harry styles' song "sunflower, vol. 6"


End file.
